Title: The Newsmakers
Author: Lis Wiehl
Publication: Thomas Nelson
Length: 352 pages
Plot: What if it turns out that the newsmakers are actually making the news happen?
Television reporter Erica Sparks has just landed her dream job at Global News Network. Beautiful, talented, and ambitious, Erica grew up dirt poor, worked her way through Yale, and is carrying a terrible secret. She moves to Manhattan to join GNN, leaving Jenny, her adored 7-year-old daughter, in the custody of her ex-husband. Erica’s producer at the network, Greg Underwood, is handsome and compelling. Scarred by her divorce, Erica is wary of romance, but there’s no denying the mutual attraction.
On one of her first assignments, Erica witnesses a horrific Staten Island ferry crash. Then she lands a coveted interview with presumptive presidential nominee Kay Barrish. During the interview Barrish collapses. Erica valiantly tries to save her with CPR. The footage rivets the world—GNN’s ratings soar and Erica is now a household name.
But she’s troubled. What a strange coincidence that both events should happen on her watch. It’s almost as if they were engineered. Is that possible?
Erica’s relentless pursuit of the truth puts her life and that of her daughter in danger. Her investigation leads her into the heart of darkness—where the future of our democracy is at stake.
The Newsmaker is a well narrated book mainly revolving around the Global News Network (GNN channel). The key characters are Erica Sparks, Greg Underwood and Nylan Hasting. The book highlights the elements of plotting and politics that take place in the company. But that’s not it. The book is much more than that. As the name suggests it is about creating news. Is that possible? Read the book to find out.
Our protagonist, Erica Sparks is a beautiful, ambitious and an intuitive journalist who is brought up in the country side and makes her way to Manhattan. Her journey from country side to Manhattan is not easy. She has a flawed past. She has the most indifferent parents in the world. Her mother has always put Erica down. In spite of the incompetent parenting, Erica was a bright student and with the right mentoring she made her way to the Ivy League schools. Erica over came the condescending looks that she received from the other Ivy League students and successfully graduated from Yale. She ends up marrying a school teacher and has a small career at a local news channel. They have a daughter together before they file a divorce. Erica doesn’t take the divorce so well and losses Jenny’s custody. All these things leave a deep scar on Erica. She becomes an alcoholic. And here she hits the rock bottom. The best quality about Erica is that she is swamped to the ground and yet she not only manages to pull herself up but she achieves heights.
She is discovered by Greg Underwood at the GNN and she is chosen to be a field reporter. Nylan Hasting, the man behind GNN has bigger plans for her. Erica happens to be covering news at the right place at the right time. And bam… She has two hit stories. Erica soon becomes a household name. What makes Erica a great journalist is that she empathizes with her interviewee. It is not purely business for her. She is trailing one of the cases and comes across a lot of shocking revelations. Here on, the story is full of suspense and mystery. The person behind the mystery is quite predictable but still the book holds interest.
Newsmaker is full of mystery, politics, and thrill. I would recommend this book to whoever is up for a little corporate politics and a lot of mystery. Let me also mention that the end of the book leaves you wanting for more….
Ratings- 4/5
BookLook Bloggers had provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exhchange of an honest review.
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